The first stop on our Utah ski trip was Brighton. I chose this first because of the mountain map. It appeared a glance, small and easy to handle. With 7 days here on the Ikon pass, there is a lot you could explore!
Skiing
Brighton Ski Resort had the fluffiest snow out of all the resorts we skied at in Utah. It was a powder hound's dream, and of course, this 22/23 season has been one for the books giving them over 700" of snowfall.d You truly need to remember your snorkel for this place. They are on the smaller side, with 65 trails and 8 lifts. Their trail map online needs to be updated because it shows 66 trails and 6 lifts. What gives them the upper hand on the other canyon mountains is that they offer over 200 acres of night skiing.
There is something for everyone, with the mountain offering 21% beginner, 40% intermediate, and 39% advanced terrain. Life in the trees here is a dream for the glades-loving rider. They had the most amount of glades that were just pillows of powder.
Getting from the Brighton center to the Milly Express side takes a lot of work. It requires a bit of skating, and snowboarders will likely have to walk. Going the other way is much easier because you can stay high enough to take Majestic Access to the Crest Express Chair.
Another thing to note, and maybe things will change, is it took a lot of work to travel inter-mountain from Brighton to Solitude and back. I thought it would be over a ridge line. We could not explore this because the area was closed for avalanche mitigation.
Village/ Food
There is no village, just a traditional base lodging area. The main base lodge has all you need; food, rentals, repair, a shop, and a place to change your boots. There are no lodges mid-mountain, which means for the food, you will have to come down to the base areas for food.
This resort is not for the group of people that want to hang in the base and are having Apres all day. It is for people who come to the mountain to ski and ride.
We ate in the Milly Chalet, which had quite a bit of room, and it is a great option if you are on that side of the mountain. My husband and I split some chicken tenders and a soda. It was typical pricing for a ski resort.
Parking
In the Cottonwood canyons, parking is extremely limited. Brighton parking is no exception to this. It was all free from what I could tell and on a first-come, first-served basis. Once parking is full, you will probably have to go all the back to salt lake and take a bus up. Getting to the slopes early is best to ensure a parking spot.
Driving to the resort can be tricky, with avalanche mitigation being a major factor; following the DOT Cottonwood Canyon on Twitter for the most current updates is best.
Lodging
We stayed in Salt Lake City; you can check that out here. The resort has a couple of options for lodging. They are a bit pricey but are a great option for those who truly want ski-in and ski-out.
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